Karine Vanasse to Star in TV Adaptation of Former First Lady of Iceland’s Novel ‘Death of a Diplomat’ on Crave & Siminn
EXCLUSIVE: Actress Karine Vanasse will star in Death of a Diplomat, a thriller series set to debut at the Series Mania festival in Lille, France. The series is crafted by Eliza Reid, the former First Lady of Iceland.
Streaming platforms Crave and Iceland’s Síminn have acquired local rights to the series, produced by Canada’s Blink49 Studios and Iceland’s Truenorth. Additionally, Groupe Entourage is involved in an executive producer role.
Death of a Diplomat, originally titled Death on the Island, is one of 15 projects selected for the Series Mania Co-Pro Pitching Sessions on March 24.
In the six-part drama, Vanasse takes on the role of Jane Shearer, the wife of the Canadian ambassador. The story unfolds as Shearer investigates the poisoning of a prominent figure at a lavish gathering in remote Iceland. Teaming up with a young detective, she exposes a tangled web of secrets and corruption, affecting both the elite of Reykjavik and her own marriage.
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“We are thrilled to have Karine Vanasse attached to the project as Jane Shearer,” commented executive producers Carolyn Newman and Virginia Rankin. “Her talent and presence make her the perfect choice to lead this high-stakes, internationally thrilling story. With Lynne Kamm’s adaptation and our partners at Groupe Entourage and Crave, we’re excited to bring this series to life for audiences in Canada and around the world.”
“Karine Vanasse is the ambassador’s wife, polished charm on the surface, and gloriously mischievous underneath,” added Kamm, the show’s writer and showrunner. “She brings the cheeky wit and killer curiosity this role demands.”
The novel, Death on the Island, was published by Simon & Schuster in Canada and Sourcebooks in the U.S. in Spring 2025, where it became a bestseller in both nations. It was released in the UK as Death of a Diplomat by Sphere and topped the bestseller charts in Iceland following its publication by Forlagid. The series is based on this novel, which is the first in a planned collection.
Last year, it was reported that Blink49, supported by Fifth Season and Bell Media, secured the rights to Reid’s novel through its partnership with North American literary management firm Transatlantic. This collaboration aims to leverage a diverse roster of authors and intellectual property for screen development, with Blink49 serving as the lead studio.
Executive producers include Newman and Rankin from Blink49, Samantha Haywood and Laura Cameron from Transatlantic, Kristinn Thordarson and Leifur B. Dagfinnsson from Truenorth, Kamm, Reid, and Nathalie Brigitte Bustos and Eric Young for Groupe Entourage.
Vanasse is represented by Agence M and UBBA, while Kamm is represented by Luber Roklin Entertainment, Agence Adequat, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark.
